Halo Map Tools

HMT Representation (DXT1 texture) of A.J.Johnson's face in Halo Combat Evolved.

Halo Map Tools is a freeware software for the Windows Operating System that allows players to edit and modify Halo: Combat Evolved maps meta tags. It can only edit non-custom edition maps; basically the Campaign and Standard Multiplayer maps, and can edit maps from the XBox too.

Meta Tags

Meta tags are little shortcut names (like TinyURLs) that link to a specific weapon, vehicle, projectile, biped, actor, etc. One of the main aspects of modding Halo maps is swapping or duplicating meta tags. A few examples are:

• Replacing the assault rifle\bullet tag with the rocket launcher\rocket meta tag, so when you shoot the assault rifle, you will have rapid fire rockets coming out of the assault rifle.
• Replacing all the elite actor variant tags with Elite Commander Energy Sword tags - this will replace all elites with Elite Commanders with Energy swords.

Note about Modding

File:Exception.png

The Infamous and annoying EXCEPTION.

Some of the following mods require you to restart the level but you can't do that from within game, because when you open the game you'll get an EXCEPTION. What you need to do is delete your My Games folder in My Documents, and create new profile. That way, you'll restart the level.

Mod Master Chief to run Faster

File:HMT MasterChief10.png

Mod MC to run faster. You'll need to open larger version to read.

1. First, Open HMT and open a map file.
2. Expand the tree item "Game Globals [matg]" or "[matg] Game Globals"
3. Click The Dropdown next to Bipd and click 0.
4. The boxes with the values should now be filled with numbers
5. Change the first value (normally 2.25) to something else. Numbers over 40 sometimes don't work and you revert to normal speed, speed 1 or get an error. So use 40 at the most. If any level needs a warthog, set the speed to 20, and you'll never need a warthog again (except for The Maw, which requires a warthog not because of steep heights that this mod can overcome, but because the canon doesn't work and Cortana keeps asking you to go back, and much more trouble...!!)
6. Click Save on the left panel
7. Close HMT, done!!
8. Run settings take effect immediately, don't need for restart of level.

Make the warthog fly!

File:HMT WarthogPelican.png

Make the Warthog fly like a Pelican (Controls: press Spacebar to rise in the air and Ctrl to lower)

1. Open HMT and your favourite map
2. Click Vehicles >> Warthog
3. Click the Pelican/Dropship radio button
4. Click Save on the left
5. Close, you're done!
6. Remember to restart the level.

Note: If you use a mod to change the 'type' of the warthog to a pelican or banshee (in HMT), and you fly the warthog to the top of the map and have a gunner marine, the gunner marine will repeatedly duck and stand up, make the 'aaaaaaaaaaargh' falling damage voice if you fly your warthog about ten metres or more above the ground. If you're thinking of deleting this, try it yourself first. It works.

Be able to fly the pelican

File:HMT PelicanDriver.png

Making the pelican flyable

1. Open HMT and your favourite map
2. Click Vehicles >> Pelican
3. Click Seat, then 0
4. Change the string 'P-driver' to 'W-driver'
5. Click Save, then close and you're done
6. To drive the Pelican, jump on top of the front window - that's the only place that lets you drive, so you might need to mod so that you can jump higher slightly.

Reason: You can't drive pelican if it is called the pelican because master chief isn't allowed. Call it a Warthog, then you can drive it.

Jumping a bit (or a lot) higher

File:HMT JumpHigh.png

Jump higher!

1. Open HMT, and your map
2. Click Biped >> Cyborg (not cyborg unarmed)
3. Where it says Jump height, type something else between 0 and 1 (default: 0.07) If you type 1 or 1.00 you will jump to absolute top of map and get stuck there, to jump back down you press space again. That isn't as fun as you may contemplate. To be able to get in a modded Pelican, you only need 0.14 (about double the normal jump height).
4. Click save, close and you're done.
5. Jump settings take effect immediately, don't need for restart of level.

External Links

• Download Halo Map Tools V3.5